Half a year after playing the first leg at the San Paolo stadium, Barça host Napoli this Saturday in the return leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League. The world has been stopped by a pandemic between the two parties, which has conditioned everyone’s daily lives. At Barça, things have not gone well. The League has been lost and the Champions League remains the only option to save the season. Setión, in fact, has called up just 13 first team players, because it has not been able to recover Ousmane Dembélé and Samuel Umtiti, who have not been discharged, unlike Griezmann, Lenglet and Araujo, who have recovered and enter in the list. Arthur Melo is still out, refusing to play again with a Barça that has the casualties of Sergio Busquets and Arturo Vidal, sanctioned. In order to complete the list, Setión has called up players from the branch such as Monchu, Mingueza, Konrad, Reis and Jandro, as well as Riqui Puig and Ansu Fati.
❗ [COMUNICATS MÈDICS] @AntoGriezmann, @clement_lenglet and Araujo have been discharged! ????
???????? #Go Barcelona pic.twitter.com/okUGi19JzO— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_cat) August 7, 2020
The Barça coach explained that “these holidays have made it possible to improve”. “The feelings after the last league game were already good, and now we needed a break after so many games in a few days. We had a few days to prepare for the game, both physically and mentally, and we came back with Renewed energy Barça have not lost their identity, their DNA or their philosophy Another thing is the nuances that each coach brings to it, always in coexistence with the essence of the club We continue to work to improve every day “, he explained.
The Cantabrian made it clear: “The reality is that at no time did I think that this could be my last game at Barça.” “We work thinking we will continue, with optimism,” he said. The coach explained that he has already thought about what the team will be like. “It would have been better to have all the players, but we have youngsters from the branch who can help us. We can’t change the situation, we don’t have all the first team players, we have to adapt,” he acknowledged. Setión made it clear that “Riqui Puig and Ansu Fati are ready to start in the Champions League, when they have played they have done well enough”, adding: “I am satisfied with the level of the players in the branch. We had some problems because they had just played the play-off and some suffered some injury. They are very daring players and they will surely do well in case of need in a different match. “
On the departure of Arthur Melo, he explained: “I have not spoken to Arthur anymore, his situation goes beyond my position.” De Dembélé admitted: “His presence has been valued, but making him play was a risk. So he has chosen not to be discharged because he still does not have all the confidence in the world. He will come to Portugal for sure. “
The Barça coach also praised Gennaro Gattuso’s work in Naples. “He knows how to attack, he is one of the clubs with more possession in Serie A. Gattuso has made him better and he is a very dangerous rival, who arrives in good shape, with players who can create a lot of danger in attack.” The Neapolitans have arrived in Barcelona with Lorenzo Insigne, their captain, who had been injured in the last league match.
Busquets: “If you follow Setión it would be a good sign”
Busquets, who will be sanctioned and will not be able to play against the Italian Cup champion, spoke at a press conference despite not being able to take part in the match, and explained: “We arrived with optimism, we had days to prepare for the match. the first leg is not bad, but we will go out to look for the victory, to score goals, as we always do “. The Vallès midfielder has admitted that “everything to improve” is positive, referring to the meetings between Setión and Messi to talk about things that did not end well.
Asked about the coach’s future, Busquets said that “Setión’s future is a club thing, but if he continues it would be a good sign”. The second captain, about Arthur Melo, also said: “Only he and the club know what has happened, but it has been a bit strange. I hope they reach an agreement to find the best way out” of a player who has decided that he no longer wants to play for Barça. “It was a bit of a surprise, because it’s not normal for him not to come back, but I hope it all ends well,” he added. Regarding Riqui Puig, who could make his Champions League debut, Busquets said: “He is ready, he has been with us for some time now, proving his level”.
.
